Yonghe Lama Temple — The Biggest Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Beijing

In the northeast of central Beijing, the biggest Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing is
a popular worship place for locals. With 300 years of history, Yonghe Lama
Temple has three world-record masterpieces.

Quick Facts

Chinese: 雍和宫Yōnghé Gōng /yong-her gong/ ‘Harmony Temple’

Must sees: the three Guinness World Record items (the largest wooden Buddha; the bronze Buddhas of past, present,
and future; and the 500-Arhat-Hill) Tibetan architecture, Chinese sacrificial
and blessing activities

Highlights

Experience the locals’ favorite worship place and how they burn incense to Buddha.

Listen to the chanting of the monks.

Enjoy its convenience for food or hutong (ancient alley area) tours.

History

1694: It was built as the Royal Court of Prince Yongzheng.

1722: Elevated to imperial palace status when Yongzheng became emperor for
short stays away from the Forbidden City, its name was changed to Palace of
Eternal Peace (Yōnghé Gōng).

1744:It became an official Tibetan Buddhist temple, and became the Beijing
office of Tibetan Buddhist affairs, run by the Qing government.

1949: Yonghe Temple was declared a national monument.

1966: It was closed for the Cultural Revolution.

1981:It wasreopened to the
public as a Tibetan temple for tourism and worship.

The Layout of Yonghe Lama Temple

There are five
main buildings separated by courtyards. Building heights reduce from south (the gate
hall) to north

The Gate Hall of Harmony and Peace(Yōng hé mén Dà diàn)

The Hall of Harmony and Peace (Yōnghé Gōng)

The Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yōngyòu Diàn)

The Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Fǎlún Diàn)

The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happiness (Wànfú Gé)

The Gate Hall of Harmony and Peace

The Gate Hall of Harmony and Peace

It has all the
traits of a grand Chinese Buddhist temple entrance. There are two lifelike bronze
lions sitting in front of the hall, which give people a sense of seriousness,
before they cross the threshold.

In the middle of
the hall, there is the statue of Buddha Maitreya seated on a golden lacquer
throne. It is also called
the Palace of the Heavenly Kings, as, on both sides of the hall, stand statues
of the Four Kings of Heaven.

The Kings of Heaven are sculpted stepping on
demons, which indicates that the Kings of Heaven have suppressed evil spirits
and have the duty of protecting the world.

The Hall of Harmony and
Peace

It is the
main hall of the Temple, formerly known as the Yin’an Hall. It was where Prince
Yongzheng met with government officials. It was later converted to a lama
temple, which is simialr to the Gate Hall of Harmony and Peace.

The Hall of Harmony and Peace

Three
2-meter-high bronze Buddha statues stand in the
north of the hall. These three Buddhas represent the past, present and future:

Central: the statue of the
Gautama Buddha (Buddha of the Present)

Right: the statue of Kasyapa
Matanga (Buddha of the Past)

Left: the Maitreya Buddha
(Buddha of the Future)

Along the two sides of the wall stand the
18 Arhats. In Chinese folklore, they represent protection. A mural depicts Guanyin, the Goddess of
Mercy, blessings, and fertility in China.

The Hall of Everlasting Protection

The Hall of Everlasting Protection

The Hall of Everlasting Protection seems
like five buildings from the outside, though it is actually five pairs of
buildings, each pair joined together.

It used to be the living quarters of Prince
Yongzheng. Later, it become a hall of prayer. When emperors died, their coffins
would be temporarily store there. Monks would pray for them and then bury them.
So, the name of this hall refers to prayers of everlasting protection prayed
over dead emperors.

Today, there is a statue of the Bhaisajya Guru
(the ‘Medicine Buddha’) in this hall, who represents protection and healing in China’s
Buddhist culture.

The Hall of the Wheel of the Law

The Hall of the Wheel of the Law

Here the cultures of Han Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism meet.

A bronze Buddha sits on the huge lotus stage at the middle of the hall, 6.1
meters high. With a smiling face, he is the founder of Geluk Tibetan Buddhism, Je
Tsongkhapa.

Behind
is the second of the three unique, world-record-holding, treasures of the Lama Temple.
About 5 meters high, 3.5 meters wide and 30 cm thick, the red sandalwood Five Hundred Arhat Hill carving has Arhat statues
made from gold, silver, copper, iron, and tin.

The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses

The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses

The 25-meter-high Pavilion of Ten Thousand
Happinesses is sometimes referred to as "The Hall of Boundless
Happinesses". There is a gantry connecting the two halls
of this pavilion, built in 1056 with architecture from the Liao Dynasty (907–1125).

The statue of Buddha Maitreya in the hall, carved
from one precious white sandalwood log from Nepal, is the biggest wooden buddha in the world. 18 meters high above ground, and 8 meters deep
below ground, the Buddha's body is 26 meters high and 8 meters wide. The seventh
Dalai Lama gifted Emperor Qianlong with the sandal wood in the 1750s.

Festivals Held at Yonghe Temple

Dayuan Invocation Dharma Assembly (February/March)

Dayuan Invocation Dharma Assembly is one of
the most important festivals of Tibetan Buddhism. It commemorates Sakyamuni,
the founder of Buddhism. During the Dayuan Invocation, monks will chant
scriptures to pray for a peaceful year.

New Year Ceremony Dharma Assembly

This week-long festival is held in the
period mid-February to mid-March (from the 23th of the first lunar month to the
1st of the second month).

New Year Ceremony Dharma Assembly (January/February)

Monks of the Temple get up and go to the
temple at 2am on the first day of China’s New Year, chanting till the sun comes
up. On this day, many people flock into the temple to pray for the coming year.

This festival falls in the period from
January 21 to February 20 according to the Chinese lunar calendar

Travel Essentials

Address:12 Yonghong Street, Dongcheng District
(12雍和宫大街东城区)

Open: November 1 – March 31, 9am–4pm; April
1– October 31, 9am–4:30pm

Because it is the most popular place to go
for a blessing in Beijing, at traditional Chinese festivals or days before
important examinations, there will be a lot of locals coming to burn incense
and pray for good luck — good opportunities for you to experience the Buddhist
culture of China.

Nearby Confucian Attractions

Beijing Imperial Academy: About 300 meters from Yonghe Temple, GuózǐJiàn was the national central institute of learning in imperial China,
the highest institute of learning in China's traditional educational system.

Confucius
Temple: right next to the Confucian Imperial
Academy is one of the best Confucian temples in Beijing.

Tours for
Enjoying Yonghe Temple

We provide one of the best tailor-made tour
services in China, and can tailor the Lama Temple and any other attractions you
want into your Beijing
tour. With our expert and experienced tour guides and comfortable private transport,
all you need to do is enjoy the tour!